The town of Irmo gathered Thursday night to remember and celebrate the life of a 3-year-old killed by a falling tree limb in Irmo Community Park.

“I got a little emotional as I spoke,” Irmo Mayor Hardy King said. “When you see Jacoby’s picture and that big smile – he had so much life in him, and that touches you.”

Jacoby Latta was struck and killed by the limb while he was on the playground at the park during a church picnic.

King said he coordinated with Jacoby’s family pastor, Scott Kirkpatrick, and the church handled the majority of the event’s organization.

The event, which was a dedication of the park’s new children’s garden, started out with a song.

“One of the church’s youth leaders got the children to come into the aisles and sing ‘Father Abraham,’” King said.

King said there was also a prayer, and several people spoke before the crowd released blue balloons, in Jacoby’s favorite color.

“It was raining last night, but as we got ready to release the balloons, the rain stopped,” King said. “Everyone walked down to the children’s garden, looked at the plaque dedicated to Jacoby and all of the children played.”

King said the dedication of the Lexington County children’s garden in memory of Jacoby was perfect because he loved planting, gardening and nature.

King also said Jacoby, who loved “The Avengers,” will be featured in a soon-to-be-released Marvel comic book.

“Jacoby’s family said he knew everything about ‘The Avengers’ and that he knew all of the people and everyone who played the characters in all of the movies,” King said. “Because of all of that, the family contacted Marvel, who made the comic featuring him.”